Road-map



No. 770,350. PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904 L. J. CARTER.

ROAD MAP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23, 1903.

NO MODEL.

CEMETERY LRPORTE SSE.

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PATENT OFFICE.

ROAD-MAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 770,350, dated September 20, 1904.

Application filed November 23, 1903. Serial No. 182,350. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LINCOLN J. CARTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of (look and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Road-Maps, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a road-map that is adapted to be used by tourists traveling over the country roads in automobiles, on bicycles, or on foot and is intended to dispense with the usual heavy cumbersome section-maps at present in use, all of which will more fully hereinafter appear.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple, economical, and efiicient road-map.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear from an examination of the drawings and the following description and claims.

The invention consists principally in a roadmap composed of a strip of flexible material, such as paper, bearing transverse lines thereon representing stated distances, amain heavy line longitudinal thereof representing the desired road, with branches indicating the turn of the road extending to either or both sides thereof and indices indicating the permanent monuments or landmarks.

The invention consists, further and finally, in the features, combinations, and details hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a portion of a road-map as it appears when constructed in accordance with these improvements; Fig. 2, a continuation of the map shown in Fig. 1.

In the art to which this invention relates it is well known that the usual road-maps are made in the shape of large section-maps and that when anybody desires to trace out a desired road between two points, such as Chicago and St. Louis, they have to carry the map of the entire district, which is not only cumbersome and unwieldy to carry, but is almost impossible to handle in any ordinary vehicle. Such maps are particularly objectionable during rainy or stormy weather, in that the entire map or a large portion thereof has to be exposed, and oftentimes, particularly at night,

it is simply impossible to trace the desired road.

The principal object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a map in which everything necessary is condensed and so constructed as to occupy as small a space as possible and have but a portion thereof disclosed at one time.

In constructing a map in accordance with these improvements I take a strip or band 0,, which may be composed of flexible material, such as paper, linen, or parchment, to suit different circumstances and conditions.

lines 6, representing stated distances. I prefer in this connection to arrange them so as to represent the distance of one mile between each pair of lines. It will be understood, however, that they may be made to indicate any other distance, such as afraction or multiple of a mile. Arranged longitudinally of this strip and centrally disposed is a heavy line 0, indicating the main road which the tourist desires to travel'say between points such as Chicago and St. Louis. This heavy line has branches 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 thereon, indicating the direction and turn of the main road that the tourist should follow in his travels between one point and the other. Crossing this main road is amultiplicity of dotted lines 0?, which represent the cross-roads. Arranged also alongside of the On this map is arranged a plurality of transverse main line and to either side thereof are indices e, which indicate the so-called permanent landmarks or monuments, such as large public buildings, railroads, creeks, rivers, cities, and

so on.

To assist the tourist in reading the map, a set of characters is arranged alongside the line indicating the main road which indicate the points of the compass. E, for example, indicates the east, S. that the road turns to the south, and S. W. that it turns to the southwest. A second set of characters is provided which indicates the distance between each turn of the road. For instance, the first one of this kind is indicatedat the bottom of Fig. '1 as 8 M., which means that the first turn of the road is eight miles from the starting-point.

In the use of this map it will be seen that starting from the beginning the characters S. 8 M. are the first thing to pay attention to, which mean that the tourist travels this line south eight miles. The dotted lines which cross the main heavy line indicate that there are that number of cross-roads before he comes to the first turn. The first turn of the heavy line is where the tourist 1s to turn to the left, and reading the indications he sees that the first monument or landmark refers to a lumber-yard. At this first turn the two characters he should pay attention to are the words and numerals E. 2% i which mean that the road runs to the east and must be followed for two and a half miles before'the next turn or bend of the road is reached. As soon as the tourist reaches a lumber-yard Where the road turns to the east and after he has passed the seven cross-roads he knows by either night or day that he has turned to the east and that he is safe on his road. The same is true of all the other landmarks. For instance, the second turn after the one just considered takes place after the tourist has passed the landmark marked Poor Farm. Here it will be seen by reading the characters that the road runs to the southwest and must be followed three and ahalf miles before another turn is reached. Looking at the transverse lines which indicate the distances, it follows that the next turn of the road is three and a half miles from the turn under consideration.

The dots arranged on opposite sides of the main road in lines extending parallel with such main road, may indicate telegraph-poles or trees. The purpose of indicating these is I that they may serve as additional landmarks and aid in identifying the other landmarks and in enabling the traveler to determine his location.

It will be seen, therefore, that the principal advantages incident to the use of a map consmall portion of it need be exposed at a time,

and that the tourist with such a map can travel aroad in perfect safety night or day and need not ask any questions regarding the same.

I claim 1. As a new article of manufacture, a roadmap of the class described composed of a strip of flexible material, such'as paper, a line printed or arranged longitudinally thereon and having branches extending to either side indicating the turn of the main road, and characters arranged to either side of the main line indicating the distance between the branches or turns of the road and the direction or course which such branches or turns take, substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a roadmap of the class described composed of a strip of flexible material, such as paper, bearing a plurality of transverse lines thereon representing stated distances, a main heavy line arranged longitudinal thereof representing a desired road with branches extending to either or both sides indicating the turn of the road, and indices arranged at either side of the main line indicating the permanent monuments or landmarks, substantially as described.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a roadmap of the class described composed of a strip of flexible material, such as paper, having a plurality of transverse lines .thereon representing stated distances, such as a mile, fraction or multiple thereof, a main line extending longitudinally in a strip and at right angles to the transverse lines indicating the main road and provided with branches indicating the turns of the road, indices arranged at either side of the main line representing permanent landmarks or'monuments, and a second set of characters arranged at either side of the main line indicating the points of the compass or direction which the road takes, substantially as described.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a roadmap composed of a strip or band of flexible material bearing a multiplicity of transverse lines thereon indicating stated distances, a main line extending longitudinally of the strips and at right angles across the trans verse lines indicating the main road and branches extending to either side indicating the turns of the road, a second set of lines crossing the main line in various directions and indicating the cross-roads, and indices to either side of the main line indicating the permanent landmarks or monuments, substantially as described.

5. As a new article of manufacture, aroadmap composed of a strip or band of flexible material bearing a multiplicity of transverse lines thereon indicating stated distances, a main line extending longitudinally of the strip and at right angles across the multiplicity of transverse lines indicating the main road and having branches extending to either side indicating the turns of the road, a second set of lines crossing the main lines in various directions and indicating the cross-roads, indices to either side of the main line indicating the permanent landmarks or monuments, and characters to either side of the main line indicating the points of the compass or direction which the main road takes, substantially as described.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a roadmap composed of a strip or band of flexible material bearing a multiplicity of transverse lines therein indicating stated distances, a main line extending longitudinally of the strips and at right angles across the multiplicity of transverse lines indicating the main road and having branches extending to either side indicating the turns of the road, a second set of lines crossing the main line in various directions and indicating the cross-roads, indices to either side of the main line indicating the permanent landmarks 0r monuments,characters to either side of the main line indicating the points of the compass or direction which the main road takes, and a second set of char- 4 acters to either side of the main line indicating the distance between the turns of the road, substantially as described.

' LINCOLN J. CARTER.

Witnesses:

HARRY IRWIN CRoMER, MAUDE DARNELL. 

